Inunori
by MandiPants
Summary: Addition of two characters to the original InuYasha series. No characters are owned by me other than Inunori and Saurina.
1. Chapter 1

Inunori was a dog demon born to be the leader of the eastern tribes and to bring together, at last, the dog demon tribes. From her birth she was destined to marry the first son of Inutaisho. They were only to meet when Inunori's parents determined her ready to marry. Her parents were killed in a battle against a wolf tribe. During which Inunori was badly wounded. Inunori was barely able to escape with her life and was badly wounded. From her weakness the demon symbols on her body faded to a barely there marking that looked like bruises. Only one other demon was able to escape from the carnage, a young fox demon under the protection of the tribe, called Saurina. Saurina managed to half drag Inunori away from the battle.

"Saurina, my father-" Inunori gasped gripping her stomach.

"He's dead mistress." She paused trying to decide of she should tell her all. "They all are dead mistress, your mother and father, the guards, and most if not all of the tribe. I'm sorry." She touched Inunori's brow gently.

A single tear dripped from her eye. "Saurina," she gasped slowly. "You must go to Inutaisho. Tell him what happened to us. I am not strong enough to make it all the way there." She sucked in a pained breath. "He needs to know about this."

"But mistress-"

"GO!" She coughed and collapsed back against a tree. "Someone is coming. I can just smell them over the stench of blood. I will either be in the hands of humans or dead by sunup. He must learn of what happened," she took in another deep shuddering breath and continued, "and I want you safely away from here. Those damn wolves may come after you. Go."

Saurina look towards the humans that she could now hear and stepped away from Inunori. She stood strait and tall for her child like frame and gave a deep bow. When she stood up there were tears gathered in her eyes. She ran a few steps away and transformed into a bird and flew off.

Inunori gasped and painfully shifted her body. She must have yelped in pain for the humans began to move closer quickly. Inunori barely caught a glimpse of a female human face and a few of her guards before passing out from blood loss.

It was the next morning, Inunori felt a cool cloth being swiped across her brow and cheeks. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up into shimmering brown eyes. Suddenly she was hit with the scents around her. The herbal poultice someone had smeared over her wounds, the sweet scent of healing incense, and most prominently the scent of human.

"Where am I?" she croaked.

"Shh. You are safe here. We have bound your wounds." The woman gently brushed the cloth over Inunori's lips to ease the dryness. "What is your name?"

She thought for a moment, trying to decide if the truth was best. "Inunori," she said her eyes growing heavy from the incense. "My name is Inunori."

Days past. Inunori spent a lot of time with the woman who had found her, Princess Izayoi. One day they were out in the garden, even though Izayoi thought it was too soon for her to be up, and Inunori scented Saurina. She knew that the humans here hadn't seen her, or they would have killed her. As it was, Inunori covered her demon markings when in the presence of others. The markings were brightening and it was becoming harder to hide the crescent moon under her collar bone.

"Would you mind bringing me a drink," Inunori asked Izayoi. "I'll just rest here for a moment." She sat down on a bench near the wall to the gardens. Not to far away there was an arch guarded by two men. It was open to the woods and was the way that Izayoi had found her.

"Of course," she responded pleasantly. "I told you, you didn't have enough time to heal." She smiled gently and went back to the keep.

Once Izayoi was out of hearing distance, Inunori distracted the guards long enough to slip through the arch. In the woods, she followed the scent until she found Saurina.

"Mistress!" she exclaimed throwing her thin arms around Inunori's waist. "You are safe! I told Master Inutaisho what happened, he was much aggrieved."

"And Sesshoumaru? Was he there?"

"Yes, mistress. He wanted to come for you, to storm the castle. He said that you should not be left to be finished off by the hands of humans."

Inunori was both excited and annoyed by the words of her future husband. "Does he think me so weak as to be killed off by these people?"

"Oh no, mistress! It's just that you were so badly wounded and it wouldn't have been very hard to kill you."

Her body that had tightened in affront loosened. "You are right. I want to go home. What does Inutaisho plan?"

"He plans on taking you from the castle tonight." Saurina straitened proudly. "He sent me to let you know of his plans. Master said to tell you that he will come after sunset. When you hear the howl on the wind be ready to leave. He also said to give you this." Saurina handed Inunori a bundle wrapped around her sword. "So that you have your own clothes and in case of trouble."

"He went to the battlefield," she murmured. "Did he-?"

"He saw to the proper burial of most of the tribe. He was just waiting for the right time to get you to bury your parents."

"Inunori!" Izayoi called worried.

"I must go." She clutched the bundle to her chest. "Thank you Saurina." She turned and went back through the arch.

"Where did you go?" Izayoi asked angrily. "I was worried that you had-" she cut herself off noticing the bundle. "You remembered something?"

That was the game she had been playing. Inunori had told them that she only remembered vague details about what had happened. Which wasn't exactly a lie, Inunori could not remember how she had gotten so far from the battle.

"I am sorry Izayoi. I remembered where I had left some things…I couldn't just leave them for anyone to take…and I didn't want to be thought silly by the guards if I was wrong in my memory." The lie slid smoothly from her lips.

"Come we should go back inside." Izayoi slipped her arm through Inunori's and tugged her along. "Did you know that your name means dog child of ceremony? That is what the old woman healer said."

"I was named for my people," Inunori let slip before she could stop herself.

Izayoi's eyes widened and she gasped. "Does that mean-? Are you-?"

Inunori stopped. "Yes, I am a demon," she said quietly. "It is why I healed so quickly. I know that you must hate me now, but I must beg your indulgence for but a short while longer. My lord will come for me after sunset. If you want to keep your guards alive you will tell them to leave the castle…and go with them." She stopped and looked away. "I don't want to take the chance of someone who has been nothing but kind getting hurt."

Izayoi reached out and touched Inunori's arm. "I will send away the guards, but I will go nowhere. If this lord is such a beast as to hurt a defenseless woman-" She clenched her hands in anger.

Inunori looked at her. "You think that Inutaisho was the one who injured me?" Seeing that she was correct she continued, "I was injured in battle against those damn mongrel wolves. They killed so many…"


	2. Chapter 2

Night had fallen and Inunori had changed into her newly repaired armor. The red dragon hide wrapped thickly around her chest and a piece of it's bone covered her right shoulder and was made into plates tied around her right lower arm. Black pants clung to her legs and tucked into matching boots. The cloth was made out of the fur of the fire rat along with a short cloak that was attached to her armor at the shoulder blades. The deep blue crescent moon under her collarbone and the red bolts on her left arm were bright and clear on her pale skin. Inunori took a strip of leather and tied her black hair back showing her sharp cheekbones and slightly pointed ears. She stood up and slid the sword Kujuti into her black cloth belt. She walked quickly to the door and went out into the gardens. Saurina had returned and carried Inunori's bundle.

"Is he coming?" Izayoi said from in the shadows.

Just then, a mighty howl filled the air. Izayoi flinched in fright. "He is now. This is your last chance to escape. Will you take it?"

"No. I will face what will come," she replied straitening her shoulders and stepping out into the full moon light.

Inunori turned towards the arch that she knew he would appear in and let a slight smile cross her face. She knew that her father-in-law would like this woman, but didn't want to see him unhappy when she inevitably died.

A few minutes passed, Inunori breathed deeply, inhaling the scents on the wind. She could smell Inutaisho, and another, slightly less familiar scent.

"_He's coming!_" she gasped.

"Are you afraid?" Izayoi asked misunderstanding.

"No. Just wait."

Out of the forest came two figures. One slightly larger than the other, but both regal in baring. The first was older, you could feel the age and wisdom from him more than you could see it. He wore his long white hair pulled back showing his strong face marked only by twin purple bolts across his cheekbones. His armor was spotless the symbol of his status, a long pelt, hung from his shoulders, and you could see the hilts of three swords over them. The second, while obviously younger, looked no less dangerous. His features were similar to the first's, though softened by youth, he had two sets of purple bolts on his cheeks and a blue crescent moon on his brow. He wore his long snowy white hair loose and had a large pelt swung over his right shoulder. They both strode forward through the arch and into the garden.

"You are well, little one?" Inutaisho asked looking Inunori over.

"I-" Before she got that one syllable out Sesshoumaru moved quickly forward stopping just inches in front of her. "Sesshoumaru," she murmured closing her eyes. A warmth wrapped around her. She opened her eyes and saw that he had wrapped his pelt around her shoulders.

"You are still weakened by the wounds you have sustained," he said reaching out and picking her up.

Inunori couldn't decide to protest or allow this to continue. She looked over to Inutaisho who was looking slightly proud of himself. She cuddled her face into his shoulder and relaxed in his arms.

"Hrm," Izayoi let herself be known.

"My lords, this is Lady Izayoi. She is the reason I'm still alive."

"Hmm…" Sesshoumaru looked at her and then turned away and started to leave still holding Inunori in his arms.

"My son does not know how to thank others properly it seems," Inutaisho said moving closer to Izayoi. He breathed deeply of her scent and smiled charmingly. "Our deepest gratitude to you Lady Izayoi. Inunori would surely be lost to us if not for you."

A light blush warmed her cheeks. "It was an honor to have met her. You are very lucky to have her as a part of your family." She bowed slightly.

Inutaisho reached out and cupped her chin. "You are right. My tribe is very lucky to have Inunori as a part of it." He let go of her face and turned slightly to call out to Inunori. "Why did you have the guards sent away?"

"I didn't want you to hurt the humans for trying to do their jobs," she said shifting her head slightly from Sesshoumaru's shoulder. "I would have liked for Izayoi to go with them, but…" she added for Sesshoumaru's benefit. She didn't want him to think she approved of the relationship building between the two.

"Hmm…We should go. She needs her rest Father," Sesshoumaru said attempting to force Inutaisho to leave.

"You are right." He turned to Izayoi and bowed over her hand. "Until we meet again, Lady Izayoi."

She nodded, unable to speak.

Moments later the four were gone from her sight. Inutaisho and Sesshoumaru took Inunori back to their home. Seeing that Saurina was barely able to keep up, Inutaisho scooped her up off the ground, carrying her until they arrived. Sesshoumaru didn't stop once they reached the keep but continued on to the rooms they had decided were for Inunori, not far from his own.

"Rest. I will send someone in with food later."

"Sesshoumaru," she said. "Your pelt." She sat up, unwrapped it from her shoulders, and held it out.

He reached out, but passed the pelt and gently stroked her cheek. He turned away quickly and said, "Keep it for now, you are freezing."

Inunori wrapped the pelt back around her shoulders and lay back on the bed until he fully left the room.

"Damn him!" she muttered to herself. "Damn him to hell and back! We are supposed to be married and he just ignores perfectly good opportunities." She threw the pelt across the room watching it land near a chest. "Does he not want to marry me?" She moved over to a window and looked out on the garden. "Is it just another duty to him?" A tear dropped from her eye and landed on her hand. She stared at it for a moment. "I'm being ridiculous. Our marriage was arranged since I was born. Whether he wants me or not, we will marry. For the sake of the tribe." She reached back and untied the piece of leather and let her hair flow free.

"Master Sesshoumaru said you should be resting," Saurina said carrying a platter into the room. "They are preparing for a wedding feast in the kitchens," she added setting the platter on the table.

"It is not polite to eavesdrop," Inunori replied sitting down on a cushion and taking a piece of fruit. "Is it true?"

Saurina smiled showing one of those bright spots in her nature. "Yes, mistress! When I went to get some food for you they were planning on sending out hunters and having lots of fruit gathered." She was practically bouncing with joy at the prospect of a wedding.

"You do realize that it could also be a feast in memory of the fallen," Inunori told her gently.

Saurina looked crestfallen for a moment and then perked up. "BUT, it could also be a wedding."

"We'll just have to wait and see." She shifted on the cushion and said, "Saurina will you find me some fresh clothes. I feel like taking a bath."

"Of course mistress."

A few minutes later Inunori and Saurina walked together to a hot spring close to the castle. Saurina helped her undress and Inunori slipped into the hot water. She completely submerged and scrubbed at her hair. After finishing with her hair she grabbed some silt from the bottom and washed her body. She came up for air and then dived down into the deepest part of the pool. When she came up to get out her hair hung in her eyes. She was reaching for the sheet they had brought to dry with when she noticed a pair of feet. Her eyes trailed up the body until she reached his eyes.

Inunori couldn't break the eye contact. She swallowed lightly, "Sesshoumaru."


	3. Chapter 3

"I can't believe you did not tell me that he was coming!" Inunori said angrily to Saurina.

"I'm sorry mistress. I just turned away for a moment and then there he was. It was a little… startling," she replied.

Inunori took a deep breath. "It's not your fault Saurina," she said laying down on her bed. "I'm just mad at myself. There was a perfect opportunity to see if he even wants me and I act like an idiot."

"You didn't act like an idiot mistress." Saurina leaped up on the bed and started playing with Inunori's hair. "He was staring at you for a while."

"What do you mean a while?"

"Well," she paused not knowing if Inunori would get mad again or not. "I turned away to collect your armor and when I turned back he was standing there. It scared me a little."

"When was this?"

"You had just finished washing your hair, I think. Yes! You had come up to scrub at your arms and he was just watching you."

Inunori smiled and relaxed on the bed thinking, _At least he wants me._ There was a knock on her door. She sat up quickly and checked her kimono. "Come in," she called.

"I see you are feeling better," Inutaisho said pushing the door aside. "We are making preparations for your parents' funeral."

"Oh, good." The smile slipped from Inunori's face.

"I thought that we should give you some time to mourn before we go on with the wedding."

"Wha-what? You mean-?"

"Sesshoumaru wanted to have the wedding tomorrow, but I insisted on giving you time."

"When did this happen?"

"He told me after we arrived and he took you to your room. He said that he was going to talk to you. Didn't he?"

"No…though I think he was distracted…" She blushed and looked away.

Inutaisho chuckled. "That's my boy." He ran a hand over his face. "In all seriousness, we have begun the preparations. Is there anything special that your family did?"

"What are you planning?"

"A feast of the dead following the burial-"

She interrupted, "No burial. Mother was under the belief that the soil would block her journey to the next world. She said once that she wanted her ashes thrown over the cliff into the ocean. Father said that he wished to follow Mother in death."

"I see." He stroked his chin in thought. "We will have to move the ceremonies elsewhere then." He paused for a moment. "I will send some scouts out and look at the battlefield to see if any of the wolves are still around." He turned and walked out of the room.

The next morning Inunori went to find out what the scouts had found. She went to the main hall where both Inutaisho and Sesshoumaru sat. She paused on seeing Sesshoumaru, not knowing how to react. She shook her head and moved forward.

"Did you hear from the scouts?"

"Yes, we did."

"And?"

"It appears that the wolves abandoned your lands not long after you were wounded and completely left the area after we collected your fallen comrades."

She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. "So they attacked for no reason? Those damn mongrels killed all of them for nothing?" Her voice rose with every word until she was practically screaming on the word 'nothing.'

Sesshoumaru stood and gripped her shoulders. Suddenly he tugged her into his arms and held her against his chest. "We will take care of them," he whispered into her ear. His hands stroked down her hair slowly, attempting to comfort.

Inunori nuzzled her face into his pelt and gripped his sash. "Thank you Sesshoumaru." She pulled back just enough to look into his face. Unshed tears shimmered in her eyes. He reached up and brushed the tears away. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"We will be able to carryout your parents' final wishes," he said continuing to comb his fingers through her hair.

The next morning Inunori got up and dressed in her armor. She left her hair flowing free knowing that she would need to take comfort from Sesshoumaru and remembering the way it felt the day before when he ran his fingers through it. She took a deep breath and walked outside to join the others in the procession.

Someone had arranged her parents bodies so that they were curling around each other, as they often did, in their true forms. They were laying on a pallet that was attached to two long polls so that it could be carried. Attached to the pallet was red and black flags and at each corner there was a small tube with incense sticks and a shorter tube on either side filled with flowers. A servant walked around the pallet and lit the incense, while four larger demons gripped the polls and lifted the pallet from the ground.

Inunori felt a hand on her shoulder and turned.

"It's time," Inutaisho said gesturing to the head of the procession where Sesshoumaru waited. She moved forward to his side.

Inunori felt her ribs shift, widening. Her fangs lengthened and she looked to either side seeing that both Sesshoumaru and Inutaisho were shifting to their true forms as well. She let her body continue to shift until she became the large black dog that was her real self. She looked again to either side seeing her new family with true eyes. The three dog demons ran east followed by the lesser demons carrying her parents.

After an hour they arrived. The cliff had been cleared of all signs of battle. There was piles of wood for the fire stacked around. The demons that carried the former masters of the eastern tribes set their load. Some other demons moved the wood under and around the pallet and started the fire. Inunori let out a loud howl that was echoed by Sesshoumaru and Inutaisho. Tears streamed from her eyes and soaked the fur down her muzzle. Sesshoumaru nuzzled her with his nose and swiped his tongue along the tear tracks. She curled into a ball and watched the fire take her parents bodies. Sesshoumaru curled around her and rested his head on her neck.

The flames raged all through the day and long into the night. Eventually Inunori and the others took their human-like forms. She spent most of that time wrapped in Sesshoumaru's arms with Inutaisho looking on protectively. By dawn the next day there was little left of the pyre. Inunori filled each of her hands with ashes and walked over to the cliff edge. She lifted her hands and let the ashes slip through her fingers. "We will meet each other again," she said as a final tear slipped from her eye.


	4. Chapter 4

A few days had gone by since her parent's funeral, and Inunori was preparing for her wedding. Though Inutaisho still felt that she needed more time to mourn, she had decided to officially become part of their family. Inunori believed strongly that it was what her parent's would have wanted.

There were so many preparations to go through. The most important, however was her wedding kimono. It needed to be special something that no one had ever seen before. Inunori decided that she would wear a melding of the two family colors, red, white, turquoise, and black. Her kimono would be pure white embroidered with turquoise, red, and black swirls, and the obi would be white as well. The over robe would be turquoise with large red flowers outlined in black. Long white toe socks would cover her legs and sandals would be on her feet. Her hair would be pulled up on top of her head and a single red flower would be tucked in as decoration. A golden coronet wreathed her head with an onyx stone embedded with a ruby touching her forehead.

The day of her wedding arrived. Saurina and a few others helped her to dress in her wedding attire. When she was dressed and ready, they escorted her to the main hall where the wedding would be held. Inunori closed her eyes and took a deep breath before stepping into the room. Hundreds of demons, both dogs and allies, sat in the room, but Inunori's eyes only saw one.

Sesshoumaru was dressed in a simple grey hakama over a lighter grey kimono; his white pelt was slung over his shoulder. His hair, which was usually flowing loose, was tied back giving full view of his handsome face. His eyes seemed to glow at the sight of her.

As leader of the tribe Inutaisho should have been leading the ceremony, but since he was the father of the groom he delegated that duty to one of his generals. Inunori and Sesshoumaru knelt on the silk cushions in front of a low wooden table. On the table were three sake cups and two vases with flowers on either end. Each of the cups was a different size and was set lined up largest to smallest. The general led them through their vows and gestured to Saurina to pour the sake into each of the cups. While the vows were being exchanged other servants were pouring sake for the guests. First Sesshoumaru then Inunori took three sips from each of the cups.

When the ceremony was over the guests cheered and the couple bowed to them. Inutaisho came forward and gestured to a servant.

"I have a gift for you Inunori." He smiled as the servant rushed over holding a silk wrapped bundle. Inutaisho picked it up and held it out to Inunori. When she untied it he said, "For you a symbol of your new status as my daughter." Sesshoumaru took the long white pelt and wrapped it around her shoulders. Inutaisho handed the silk back to the servant and leaned towards Inunori kissing her on either cheek. The guests cheered again and everyone moved out to the garden for dinner.

"Sesshoumaru?" Inunori said stopping him before they entered the garden. He turned to her and took her hand. She paused a moment making sure they were alone. "I want you to kiss me." After saying it she bowed her head to hide her blush.

"You don't need to ask me," he said tipping her chin up to look in her eyes. A small smile crossed his lips as he bent slightly to reach her. He stroked a finger down her nose and pressed a soft kiss on the tip. He grinned at the face she made. "I know that wasn't what you meant." He brushed a finger over her lips and they parted slightly. Then he dipped down and kissed her running the tip of his tongue across her lower lip. Inunori wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed him back.

After a short while Sesshoumaru gripped her wrists and pulled them gently from his neck. "We will continue this later." He pressed a kiss to the inside of one wrist and entwined his fingers with hers. "Come. They are waiting for us."

They went to enter the garden, but Saurina stopped them. Inunori bent to hear what Saurina had to say and then turned to Sesshoumaru. "I'll be just a moment." She moved off a little way with Saurina. "How will we change this?"

"I have a perfect idea," Saurina said so excited that the wreath of flowers she wore nearly fell off. She reached up and pulled off the fur pelt. "Take off the outer robe."

Saurina's idea was to take off the outer robe and obi, then put the outer robe back on loosely so that the kimono could still be seen. She then tied one end of the pelt under the obi and let the other end hang over Inunori's right shoulder.

Sesshoumaru approved greatly of the adjustment to her clothing. "You look perfect," he said smiling at her. He took her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. He slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and escorted her into the garden.

The garden was decorated with ribbons in both of the family colors. They were tied to trees and woven in an arc over the trestle tables where their guests sat. He took her to the head table where Inutaisho and his mother already sat. As soon as they sat one of the surviving members of Inunori's tribe shot to his feet raising his sake cup high and toasting the couple.

Several more toasts were made, dinner was served, and the moon had risen high in the sky. Sesshoumaru cupped Inunori's hand and squeezed it gently.

"Come," he said close to her ear. "It's time."


End file.
